


What Part of Dead Don't You Get?

by nanjcsy



Series: Goodbye Kraken, Hello Reek [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Brainwashing, Cage Trauma, F/M, Failed Rescue, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Ramsay is his own warning, Reek POV, Stockholm Syndrome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-04-02 19:27:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4071838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanjcsy/pseuds/nanjcsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Season Four has a lovely scene where Asha Greyjoy attempts to save her brother Theon. Instead she encounters Reek who wants no part of what he thinks is Ramsay's trickery. This is the same scene based on Reek's mindset. His POV on this was clear in my mind and I am thrilled to be able to write it out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Part of Dead Don't You Get?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lokiscribe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokiscribe/gifts).



_Theon would thrash and scream. He would talk and try to bargain, curse, make threats useless threats. Then he would have questions and why why would echo through the dungeons. After that came the sullen silence, the sudden babbling and finally whimpered pleas. Nothing worked, nothing at all. Nothing helped and no one saved him. Robb did not come for his head, his own family sent no rescue or ransom. Ramsay took pieces of Theon, flayed him bare, whipped him bloody, branded him and used words like sharp weapons. Everything Theon said or did got him hurt. Ramsay had a love for games, for tricks and played them on his new toy constantly. For the longest time Theon fell for them and was badly punished for it. He became terrified to speak, to believe in anything. Theon just couldn't understand Ramsay's motives, reasons or how to appease the sadist. Confused, scared, it was best to let the hated name given by Ramsay to become the real name. The real person. When the pain was unbearable, Theon would remind himself, it's Reek's pain now. I don't feel this, he does. The more he became Reek, the easier it was to obey Ramsay. It wasn't Balon Greyjoy's son that was crawling like a dog, kissing someone's boots, it was Reek. And Reek had no family, had no past, just his Master. It certainly was not Theon Greyjoy that ate rats in a dark cell and slunk like a stinking crippled creature to sob at his Master's feet in joy to see another person! A Lord and Prince did not sleep in a cage among dogs and dutifully serve his tormenter as a slave, wearing a collar. That was Reek. Yet it is not very easy to kill a kraken. It was long, slow and painful, like Ramsay's flaying._

**What is your name?**

**Reek.**

**Are you positive of that? Are you really sure? You weren't when I woke you up last night. You answered to Theon last night. Do you remember what I did for that? I want you to answer me.**

**I..You...you flayed my toe....left foot..my big toe..**

**And have I cut it off for you yet?**

**No.**

**Because you are very stupid and need to have reminders to learn, Reek. Am I right?**

**Yes..yes, you are always right.**

**So you are sure of your name?**

**Yes, my name is Reek...**

**And who am I?**

**Lord Ramsay Bolton...my Master.**

**Very good. See? The pain is helping you remember things already.  I have a game for you, Reek. There, now you made me hit you, hurt you more. Why do you have to be so stupid, Reek? A pet isn't smart, but you are just amazing with your idiocy. Maesters should study you and write a small volume for their libraries. Of how you have managed to continue to be breathing with such an empty head. Well, instead of learned old men with chains, you have me. I will always be here to teach you, to remind you, I swear it. Now, to the game, listen carefully. I want you to rhyme your name for me. Pick words that rhyme with Reek and if you take longer than ten seconds between each rhyme, I will flay another toe. If you stay within ten seconds for each rhyme I will cut the flayed toe off that is making you sweat and stink so badly.**

**Reek rhymes with weak, meek, seek, freak, sneak, leak, cheek, peek, shriek,, creek, beak, peek, sleek!**

_The sharp blade cut easily through the toe and Reek was so grateful. He would never forget his name again, he promised. He would never, not ever forget things Ramsay says. He cringes and thinks hastily, no no no, Theon called him Ramsay because he felt above or even equal to the boy. Not now, Reek is so far below that he must call him Master. How could someone as low and weak, meek, freak as Reek ever dare to presume to rise higher than his Lord's muddy boots? No, he was lower than the dogs he was lucky enough to live with.He never again fell for that name trick. He knew better, if he heard the dreaded name, Reek knew to protest and say his name, rhyme it screaming if he must to not fall for any games. Even when Master stopped giving him water for two days and his boys, even his whores tried to offer clean cold water to Theon Greyjoy. He would turn away sobbing, so thirsty croaking out his name, his rhymes, while they laughed at him, spit on him, taunted him. Reek knew he was Reek and that was that. Ramsay was Lord Ramsay Bolton who was Master, milord, everything, the only thing. So he obeyed and the flaying was less, the beatings, branding and whippings were less. The chores increased, games, tricks and threats were starting to get a little easier too. Reek was stupid but he was learning even if it was very slowly, Reek learned._

**OH MASTER PLEASE WHY I HAVE BEEN SO GOOD AND TRIED SO HARD! ANOTHER TRICK ANOTHER ONE, DRESSED IN ARMOR AND SAYING THAT** _**BAD NAME!**  
_

**You are Theon Greyjoy! I am not tricking you, I am saving you!**

**DON'T LISTEN THOSE WORDS MEAN NOTHING, ITS ANOTHER TRICK AND DON'T LEAVE THE CAGE, TELL HER YOUR NAME, TELL HER TO TELL MASTER YOU KNOW YOUR NAME! YOU WON'T FALL FOR BAD TRICKS BECAUSE REEK IS GOOD, REEK IS LOYAL, RHYMES, REEK RHYMES WITH MEEK, WEAK, AND PLEASE GO AWAY! OH NO, MY LOCK, MY LOCK IS OPEN! MASTER WILL BE UPSET AT THIS WHORE FOR THAT! DON'T DON'T DON'T TAKE ME OUT, I HAVE NO PERMISSION! I MUST HAVE PERMISSION FIRST! I WON'T GO BACK ON THAT CROSS, I WON'T GO BACK TO THAT CELL, LEAVE ME ALONE, LEAVE MY CAGE ALONE, LEAVE REEK ALONE! NOT THEON, NO, THERE IS NO THEON HERE HE IS DEAD, DROWNED, PLEASE GO AWAY AND DON'T TOUCH ME, LET ME GO YOU CAN NEVER TOUCH ME, NO THEON, WHAT PART OF DEAD DON'T YOU GET, STOP PULLING ME OUT, I BELONG IN MY CAGE! OH, I HEAR HIM, MASTER IS COMING AND HE WILL BE SO MAD AT ME. GET YOUR HAND OFF MY MOUTH, I MUST TELL HIM, I AM GOOD REEK, LOYAL REEK, MASTER PLEASE HELP ME, SAVE ME FROM THIS, I JUST WANT MY CAGE, MY SAFE BARS, OH PLEASE! YOU MAKE ME DO THIS, YOU MAKE ME BITE YOUR HAND DOWN TO THE BONE. I AM SORRY, SO SORRY BUT YOU WOULDN'T LET ME GO. I HAVE TO BE IN MY CAGE, YOU SEE. I CANNOT BE OUT WITHOUT PERMISSION, NOT REEK, NEVER GOOD LOYAL REEK. I AM SORRY, DEAD THEON CANNOT HELP YOU, REEK ONLY HELPS HIS MASTER AND YOU TRIED TO STEAL SOMETHING FROM HIM. I AM SAFE IN MY CAGE, SAFE WITH MY BARS AGAINST MY FACE, HOT SKIN AGAINST COLD BARS FEELS GOOD AND I AM REALLY SORRY. DOGS WILL HUNT AND EAT YOU AND MASTER IS KIND TO NOT MAKE ME RUN AND WATCH. HE IS COMING, OH NO, PLEASE DON'T BE MAD MASTER, I WAS GOOD I SWEAR IT. HE HAS SHUT MY DOOR AND NOT HURT ME. HE CALLED ME A GOOD BOY AND SMILED. I WENT VERY SMALL AND LOW AND MASTER DID NOT HURT ME. I WAS RIGHT, IT WAS A BAD GAME A BAD TRICK A REAL ENEMY AND I WAS LOYAL AND GOOD AND NOT HURTING. AND LOOK, LOOK! MASTER LEFT IT UNLOCKED. HE TRUSTS HIS REEK TO BE A GOOD LOYAL PET AND NOT RUN AWAY, NOT WANDER. BAD DOGS TRY TO RUN, TRY TO LEAVE THEIR CAGE WITH NO PERMISSION. BEN STRAPS THEM AND MASTER KICKS THEM SHARPLY. REEK WOULD NEVER BE A BAD DOG, I AM A FAITHFUL REEK THAT NEVER RUNS I AM GOOD. I AM SO TIRED AND COLD, I NEED TO SHUT MY EYES AND TRY TO FORGET. TRY TO SLEEP AND NOT THINK ABOUT WHY I CANNOT STOP CRYING WHILE THE TASTE OF THAT SISTER OF BAD, DEAD THEON IS IN MY MOUTH.**


End file.
